8. Beny Steinmetz – Net worth: $2.3 billion
The eighth richest man in Israel is Beny Steinmetz, a 58-year-old businessman with a net worth of $2.3 billion.
Born and raised in Israel, the billionaire moved to Belgium in 1978 to run his father’s diamond business.
Eventually, he became Chairman of Geneva-based Steinmetz Diamond Group.
Along with his brother, Daniel, Beny Steinmetz founded the BSGR (Beny Steinmetz Group Resources.
In his battle over Simandou, one of the world’s largest untapped iron ore deposits in Guinea, Beny Steinmetz announced plans to sue Global Witness, a George Soros-backed NGO that has accused him of wrongfully obtaining the rights to the West African property.
After he required rights to the gigantic iron ore reserve, he then sold the property to Vale, a Brazilian mining company, reaping a profit of $2.5 billion, but he only collected $500 million.
Beny Steinmetz is also an investor of Gabriel Resources Ltd.
